A True Taiwanese Banquet

Hello to all of my fellow chowhounds. I have good news for those of you who are yearning for authenticity.

The Taiwan Village Chinese Restaurant in Flushing offers among the most authentic and tasty Taiwanese cuisine. A few dear friends of mine who are from Taiwan ordered a full banquet for our table. Since we were in a large group, we were able to sample an array of unusual and delightful fare.

Although my knowledge of Taiwanese cooking is far from extensive, I thoroughly enjoyed all of the dishes that I had the privilege of sampling. Some of the highlights of the meal included a tender and succulent roast duck, sliced pork with taro, an authentic Taiwanese gelatin dumpling, a delicious variety of Chinese brocolli that resembles spinach, sweet and sticky rice with peanuts wrapped in a sausage casing, a fried rice noodle dish, beef with papaya, stinky tofu (the dish is much more appetizing than the name seems to suggest), and a loin of pork roasted to perfection.

The restaurant is located on College Point Blvd. in Flushing between 41st Ave. and 41st Rd. Although the location may visually seem somewhat desolate, it is actually only one long block away from the intersection of Main St. and Kissena Blvd., where the Queens Library and the Starbucks are located. The walk from the #7 train at Main Street Station is about 5 minutes. Drivers should be pleased to know that the restaurant is in a mini strip mall, with a small, free parking lot in front of it.

We strongly suggest that people go in large groups in order to be able to sample the wide variety of excellent, super-authentic dishes. It is best to go with at least one person who is familiar with Taiwanese cuisine.